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LISBON -- The stage was set for the March 19 primary when the Columbiana County Board of Elections certified all 17 partisan candidates, three issues and one local option filed within the county during the board's meeting Friday.
Among the ballots decided were contested Republican contests for both county commissioner terms and county sheriff. Incumbent Republican Commissioner Roy Paparodis of Salem will face United High School teacher and Ohio Farm Bureau Federation State Trustee Danielle Burch of Salem and Duane Nickell of Lisbon for the Republican nomination for the Jan. 3 term, while John P. Williams of Lisbon and Tim Ginter of Salem were certified for the Republican nomination for the Jan. 2 term. Ray Cox, a Democrat, is also running for the seat, but is uncontested in the primary.
In the county sheriff race, Robert "Kip" Dowling, a former chief deputy of the sheriff's office, will challenge incumbent Brian McLaughlin.
Issues certified were the Columbiana County Regional Park District (0.35 mill, additional five years) and two Madison Township road levies -- one for 2 mills, five years and one for 0.5 mills, five years.
Additionally, an option for the Wellsville American Legion to conduct Sunday sales was certified.
The board also certified five Mahoning County partisan candidate filings and 16 filed with the Ohio Secretary of State. Twenty-six Democratic Committee nominations of the 27 filed were certified with one being voluntarily withdrawn.
In other matters, the board of elections approved a 3.5 percent raise for employees including director and deputy director to help what the board called "rising inflation and cost of living." Also presented and approved was a motion to give an hourly employee a $2 an hour increase.
The board agreed to stick with contractor Graphic Village to handle mail-in ballots. It will be the fifth year that the county has used the company's services at $2 per packet.
The Election Administration Plan for the 2024 Primary was ratified and a reduction in precinct election officials approved.
Deputy Director Bryce Miner gave the board a breakdown of the March primary contests and reported the write-in deadline of March 19 for the Jan. 8 primary and voter registration deadline of Feb. 20.